Milwaukee Bucks wing Pat Connaughton has picked up his player option for the 2025-26 season worth $9.4 million, according to multiple reports on Saturday.

• Connaughton, 32, had until Tuesday to exercise the option for the final season of a three-year, $28.5 million extension he signed in 2022, per the reports.

  He averaged 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 41 games (one start) last season. His average of 14.7 minutes was his lowest mark in seven seasons with Milwaukee. Connaughton's 3-point shooting (32.1 percent) was his lowest since his rookie season of 2015-16.

  The Brooklyn Nets selected him in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft and traded him the same day to Portland, where he averaged 3.7 points, 1.6 rebounds and 12.6 minutes in 155 games (six starts) over three seasons.

  He signed as a free agent with the Bucks in August 2018 and helped Milwaukee win the NBA championship in the 2020-21 season.

  For his career, Connaughton has averaged 6.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 19.2 minutes in 595 games (72 starts).

  --Field Level Media

Former Oklahoma forward Jalon Moore is recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon sustained during a pre-draft workout.

• A projected second-round pick in next week's 2025 NBA Draft, Moore was injured during a recent visit with the San Antonio Spurs.

  Moore's agent, Mike Silverman of Equity Sports, confirmed details of the injury with ESPN on Saturday.

  Moore, 22, is expected to make a full recovery but will miss most of the 2025-26 season.

  The 6-foot-7 Moore averaged 15.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 34 games (all starts) as a senior with the Sooners in 2024-25.

  For his career, Moore averaged 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 110 games (81 starts) at Georgia Tech (2021-23) and Oklahoma (2023-25). He shot 39.1 percent from 3-point range in two seasons with the Sooners.

  --Field Level Media

Hall of Fame center Vlade Divac is recovering after emergency surgery to repair a fractured hip sustained in a motorcycle crash.

• Doctors told The Associated Press that Divac, 57, was in stable condition following Thursday's accident near the Adriatic coast in Risan, Montenegro.

  Divac played eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, six with the Sacramento Kings and two with the Charlotte Hornets during a career that spanned from 1989-2005.

  One of the first European players to successfully transition to the NBA, Divac averaged 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 blocked shots in 1,134 career games (979 starts).

  Divac also served as the general manager of the Kings for six seasons from 2015-20.

  The 7-foot-1 Serbia native was a first-round pick by the Lakers in 1989, made the All-Star team with the Kings in 2000-01 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. He helped the Yugoslavian national team win silver medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and 1996 Atlanta Olympics and gold at the 1990 FIBA World Cup.

  --Field Level Media

Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey was cited for driving 101 mph in a 55-mph zone in Tippecanoe County, Ind., the Lafayette Journal & Courier reported Thursday.

• The violation occurred on May 1 while Edey was driving a Kia Sorento on Indiana 25, according to the report. Edey was cited and released at the scene, with a court hearing scheduled for Monday on a charge of misdemeanor reckless driving.

  Edey, 23, averaged 9.2 points with 8.3 rebounds in 66 games (55 starts) this past season when he was named NBA All-Rookie First Team. The 7-foot-4, 305 pounder was the No. 9 overall selection in last year's draft, after he was a two-time national college player of the year and a two-time first-team All-American.

  --Field Level Media

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr promoted his son Nicholas to the coaching staff Thursday.

• Nicholas Kerr, 32, served as the Warriors G League head coach in Santa Cruz (Calif.) the past two seasons. Santa Cruz went 20-14 and finished in fourth place in the G League's Western Conference each of the past two seasons.

  Born in Cleveland and raised in San Diego, Nicholas Kerr played college basketball at San Diego and Cal. He served as a graduate assistant at Cal in the 2016-17 season before moving on to the San Antonio Spurs as an intern.

  The younger Kerr worked in the player development department for the Warriors and was a video coordinator for three seasons. In 2021 the Warriors hired him as a G League assistant coach at Santa Cruz before becoming head coach in 2023.

  Steve Kerr, 59, has been Golden State's head coach for 11 seasons starting in 2014-15. The Warriors have won four NBA titles during his tenure and have advanced to the NBA Finals six times. The team is 567-308 in the regular season under Steve Kerr with 104 playoff victories.

  --Field Level Media

The Indiana Pacers return home for Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night trying to stave off elimination while not knowing exactly what they'll be able to get out of star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.

• Battling a calf strain, Haliburton is expected to try to play against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who hold a 3-2 series lead.

  Haliburton's uncertain status is a significant wrinkle for odds and props ahead of Game 6.

  ODDS & TRENDS

  The Thunder were a consensus 6.0-point favorite as of mid-day Thursday. However, the spread was sitting at 5.5 at books including FanDuel, Caesars, DraftKings and BetMGM, where Oklahoma City has been backed by 58 percent of the spread-line bets and 61 percent of the money.

  The line had moved from 6.5 to 6.0 points at BetRivers, where the Thunder have drawn 83 percent of the spread-line money while the total bets have been almost even. The book reported taking a $57,660 wager on Oklahoma City at -6.5.

  The 219.5 total points line has seen the Over draw 69 percent of both the total bets and money.

  KEY STATS

  Indiana has won eight consecutive home games following a loss, while Oklahoma City has failed to cover the spread in its past six road games following a win.

  The home team has won the first half in each of the Pacers' past 13 games, according to BetRivers.

  PROP PICKS

  --T.J. McConnell Over 10.5 Points (-107 at BetRivers): This has understandably drawn the highest percentage of prop money at the book with the uncertain status of Haliburton. McConnell is averaging 11.2 points through the first five games, although 18 of them game in Monday's Game 5 loss in which the Pacers fell behind big midway through the fourth quarter.

  --Pascal Siakam 20+ Points (-120 at DraftKings): Another market impacted by Haliburton's injury, this has been the most popular play at DraftKings. Siakam is coming off a huge Game 5 in which he poured in 28 points. However, that's the only game in the series in which he has topped 21.

  THE NEWS

  As Oklahoma City turned a 2-1 series deficit to a 3-2 advantage, Haliburton has struggled from the field, hitting just 7 of 21 shots from the field over the past two games, including a 1-for-11 clip from 3-point range. He has totaled just 22 points in 70 minutes.

  "You don't underestimate great players. In the case that he plays, we're expecting his best punch," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "You don't underestimate great teams. In the event he doesn't play, we're expecting Indiana's best."

  Heroes of the series emerged from almost every segment of the rotation.

  Haliburton's near-triple-double in Game 3 was underscored by Indiana's 49 bench points, 27 from Bennedict Mathurin and five steals from McConnell. Andrew Nembhard shifted to point guard in Haliburton's place in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year, when the Pacers overcame a 3-2 series deficit to beat the Knicks in Games 6 and 7.

  "I think obviously Tyrese is a big part of what we do. Whether he plays or not, I think it's going to be a team thing," Siakam said. "We have to together all step up. The importance of the game, we just all have to take a step forward. It's going to be down the line.

  "I don't think any one of us should feel like one person is going to have to do it," the Indiana forward continued. "It's going to be collective."

  Siakam put up 28 points and stepped up in the fourth quarter of Game 5 without Haliburton. More of the same is in order if the Pacers wish to keep up with OKC's 1-2 punch.

  NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a combined 66 points in Games 4 and 5 for the Thunder. But the national spotlight has been shared with Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams, who tallied 67 points over the same span, including a 40-point outburst in Game 5 with the Pacers setting a defense determined to help and force the ball out of SGA's hands.

  "It makes me sound like a jerk," Williams said of not answering his phone the past week to keep the focus on winning a title. "A big thing for us -- we've done a really good job of focusing on us."

  Gilgeous-Alexander said being "on the cusp of winning is not winning, and the way I see it, winning is all that matters."

  He credited the organization for building the culture and environment to make the Thunder a marvel of a turnaround story.

  Gilgeous-Alexander said he's buoyed at this point in the season by the closeness of the locker room and how much fun the entire team is having.

  "Focusing on Game 6," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Focusing on just being the best version of myself for this basketball team for whatever it takes -- however many games it is, however many possessions are needed, however many moments. Stay in the moment, and just try to stick to that script."

  Oklahoma City led 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinals and lost Game 6 to Denver before a dramatic effort to take Game 7. Williams said Oklahoma City didn't "come out ready to play" in that Game 6.

  Carlisle said the Pacers are leaning on the experience of trailing the Knicks 3-2 last summer, when Gainbridge Fieldhouse turned into an energy-feeding advantage for Game 6.

  "Buckle down, stand strong," Carlisle said of his message to the team.

  But with SGA and Williams both averaging 30 or more points the last three games, Oklahoma City expects nothing less than greatness on Thursday.

  "Most of the great players are art. They're unbelievably unique," Daigneault said. "That's every great player. Siakam is like that. Haliburton is like that. They're one of one. All the great players are. ... They're great players, but they do it inside the team (concept) and don't suffocate the team."

  Daigneault isn't yet talking specifically about the spoils at stake Thursday night.

  "We've tried to take a stack mindset to everything we've done. Even when the team was rebuilding. You can't skip steps in the process," Daigneault said. "We want to win the game tomorrow.

  "But the most important thing we can do is prepare today, prepare tomorrow. Play the first possession really well. And then the next possession. Win today. The minute you start to drift mentally into the future and into the past, it impacts your ability to stack the next thing."

  THEY SAID IT

  --"We're always trying to put ourselves in our opponent's shoes. Zero and zero mindset. We're not introducing any new concepts right now, we're just relying on the psychological habits we've built over time." -- Thunder coach Mark Daigneault of Oklahoma City's focus with a 3-2 lead.

  --"I think it depends on who you ask. I have to understand the risks, ask the right questions." -- Haliburton said of how he'll decide to play. "But I'm a competitor. I want to play. I'm going to do everything in my power to play." --Haliburton on his playing status Thursday. He scored 22 points and was one rebound shy of a triple-double in Indiana's Game 3 victory on June 11.

  PREDICTION

  This has the feeling of a potential Thunder rout as the Pacers have fought tooth-and-nail to reach this point but are now facing Game 6 with a limited Haliburton at best. --Thunder 120, Pacers 110

  --Field Level Media

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has agreed to a long-term contract extension, ESPN reported on Thursday.

• While no specific terms were cited in the report, ESPN said the deal would make Udoka one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA.

  Udoka, 47, guided the Rockets to a 52-30 record this season and the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Houston, however, fell to the Golden State Warriors in seven games during the first round of the playoffs.

  Houston denied the request of the New York Knicks earlier this month to speak to Udoka about their vacant head coaching position.

  Udoka joined the Rockets after he was suspended and later fired by the Boston Celtics during the 2022-23 season for a violation of team rules. He led the Celtics to the NBA Finals in his lone season as the head coach in 2021-22.

  Udoka owns a 144-102 record as the head coach of the Celtics and Rockets (2023-present).

  --Field Level Media

For the first time since 1979, the Los Angeles Lakers will not have the Buss family as a majority owner.

• According to ESPN, the Buss family has entered into an agreement to sell majority ownership of the franchise to Mark Walter, CEO of diversified holding company TWG Global.

  While Walter, who has been a stakeholder in the Lakers in 2021, will own the majority stake, Jeanie Buss will reportedly continue to serve in her role as the team's governor.

  One of the franchise's all-time greats, Magic Johnson, said the team's fans should be thrilled by the sale.

  "Laker fans should be estatic. A few things I can tell you about Mark -- he is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win! I can understand why Jeanie sold the team to Mark Walter because they are just alike - they are competitive people, l have big hearts, love to give back, and both prefer to be behind the scenes. This makes all the sense in the world. I am so so SO happy and excited for

  @Lakers fans all over the world!!"

  Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979, a deal that also included the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the Los Angeles Forum. The Lakers won 11 of their 17 NBA championships under Buss family ownership.

  The team's ownership was passed on to Buss' children when he died in 2013, with Jeanie taking over the responsibilities as team governor.

  Walter will now step in as majority owner, although exact details of the agreement were not yet reported. That said, ESPN and The Athletic reported that the valuation of the deal is in the neighborhood of $10 billion -- which would be the largest sale of a professional sports franchise in the world.

  The Boston Celtics were sold for $6.1 billion earlier this year.

  Walter has his hands in several other professional sports organizations, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.

  --Field Level Media

The Indiana Pacers swapped draft picks with the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday while gaining financial flexibility going into the offseason.

• The Pacers, currently trailing Oklahoma City 3-2 in the best-of-seven NBA Finals, sent the No. 23 pick in next week's draft to the Pelicans as well as the rights to former G League shooting guard Mojave King, per ESPN.

  In exchange, the Pelicans gave the Pacers the 2026 first-round pick that Indiana originally had before sending it to Toronto last season as part of the trade bringing All-Star forward Pascal Siakam to Indiana. The Raptors shipped the draft pick to New Orleans in February in their acquisition of forward Brandon Ingram.

  New Orleans now has picks No. 7 and No. 23 in this year's draft on June 25-26.

  Indiana now has its own first-round selections from 2026 through 2032. The Pacers also save almost $3.2 million in salary cap space, ESPN reported, and will be about $20 million below the luxury tax.

  That space is valuable as the Pacers have most of their core players under contract for next season with starting center Myles Turner eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.

  The 6-foot-5 King, who turned 23 on June 11, is a native of New Zealand and played professionally this season in his home country as well as Puerto Rico.

  The Los Angeles Lakers selected King in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft and dealt him the next day to the Pacers as part of a four-team trade.

  King played a combined 45 games (eight starts) in the G League in the 2022-23 (Ignite) and 2023-24 (Indiana Mad Ants) seasons and averaged 6.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 assist.

  --Field Level Media

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is believed to have strained his right calf during a Game 5 loss to Oklahoma City and will undergo an MRI, ESPN reported on Tuesday afternoon.

• The Pacers are facing elimination down 3-2 to the Thunder in the best-of-seven NBA Finals, with Game 6 on Thursday in Indianapolis.

  Haliburton appeared to aggravate the injury in the first quarter but played through it on Monday night, when host Oklahoma City won 120-109. He missed all six of his field-goal attempts while ending up with four points, seven rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes.

  "It's the Finals," the point guard said after Game 5. "I've worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete, help my teammates any way I can.

  "I was not great tonight by any means, but it's not really a thought of mine to not play here. If I can walk, then I want to play."

  Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said of Haliburton, "He's not 100 percent. It's pretty clear. But I don't think he's going to miss the next game.

  "We were concerned at halftime. He insisted on playing. I thought he made a lot of really good things happen in the second half. But he's not 100 percent. There's a lot of guys in this series that aren't."

  Haliburton is averaging 17.9 points, 9.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 21 postseason games. He averaged 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 73 regular-season games.

  --Field Level Media

Thirteen additional early entry candidates have withdrawn their names from consideration in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, the league announced Tuesday.

• The draft is scheduled for June 25-26 in Brooklyn, N.Y.

  The Dallas Mavericks have the No. 1 overall pick and are widely projected to choose Duke forward Cooper Flagg.

  The 13 players, along with their current team (country of team) and height:

  Mohammad Amini, Nancy (France), 6-7

  Alec Anigbata, Ulm (Germany), 6-9

  Neoklis Avdalas, Peristeri (Greece), 6-7

  Bassala Bagayoko, Bilbao (Spain), 6-10

  Asim Djulovic, OKK Beograd (Serbia), 6-9

  Mouhamed Faye, Reggio Emilia (Italy), 6-9

  Lazar Gacic, OKK Beograd (Serbia), 6-11

  Ben Henshall, Perth (Australia), 6-5

  Malique Lewis, SE Melbourne (Australia), 6-8

  Mathias M'Madi, Moron (Spain), 6-5

  Zaion Nebot, Le Havre (France), 6-2

  Michael Ruzic, Joventut (Spain), 6-9

  David Torresani, Treviso (Italy), 6-1

  --Field Level Media

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is playing with calf tightness in his right leg, the same leg on which he injured his ankle in a previous contest, ESPN reported Monday night.

• The All-Star guard got off to an extremely slow start in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City on Monday, missing all five of his first-half shot attempts while going scoreless.

  At halftime, the injury was reported on ABC, though the issue hadn't kept Haliburton off the court. He played nearly 17 first-half minutes, third most on the team, despite wearing a wrap on his leg in the second quarter.

  The Pacers trailed the Thunder 59-45 at the half as each team looked to take a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven series.

  Haliburton delivered the dagger jump shot to sink the Thunder on their home court in Game 1 as the Pacers won 111-110. Indiana coach Rick Carlisle revealed prior to Game 3 that Haliburton was dealing with a leg injury.

  "I don't think you're going to hear him making a big deal out of it," Carlisle said.

  --Field Level Media

The Orlando Magic are acquiring guard Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies in a blockbuster deal, ESPN reported Sunday.

• In return, Memphis will receive guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, per the report.

  Bane, 26, was the No. 30 overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft and spent five seasons with the Grizzlies. He has career averages of 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists over 29.6 minutes per game.

  In 2024-25, he exceeded those numbers with 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He shot 39.2 percent from 3-point-territory.

  A 6-foot-5 shooting guard, Bane has faced injury woes the past three seasons, limited to just 58 games in 2022-23, followed by seasons with 42 and 69 games.

  Caldwell-Pope, 32, will provide veteran leadership for the Grizzlies. Now 32, he was selected No. 8 overall in the 2013 draft and has two NBA title on his resume, playing for the Detroit Pistons (2013-17), Los Angeles Lakers (2017-21), Washington Wizards (2021-22), Denver Nuggets (2022-24) and Magic.

  He has career averages of 11.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 912 games. In 2024, those numbers were 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 77 games.

  Anthony, 25, was taken by Orlando with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 draft. In five seasons and 320 games with the Magic, he has averages of 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

  Bane had signed a five-year, $197.2 million contract extension with the Grizzlies in July of 2023 and is under contract through the 2028-29 season.

  --Field Level Media

Potential landing spots for Kevin Durant are starting to emerge should the Phoenix Suns trade him, as expected, with the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets his preferred destinations, according to ESPN.

• Those are the three teams Durant would commit to for a longer term, per the ESPN report Saturday night. He has one season left on his current deal and is set to earn $54.7 million in 2025-26.

  While word of Durant's preferences has spread across the NBA, the Suns also have been clear that they will make the best move for the team, regardless of the desires of the 15-time All-Star.

  The Minnesota Timberwolves also are expected to be among the teams in the mix for a trade.

  Durant, who turns 37 in September, played in 62 games with the Suns in 2024-25. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks, not far off of his career averages. He also shot 43.0 percent from 3-point range.

  Selected to the All-NBA first team six times, Durant has appeared in 1,123 games with the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-19), Brooklyn Nets (2020-23) and Suns. He has career averages of 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds. 4.4 assists and 1.1 blocks, shooting 39 percent from long distance.

  Once the new league year begins on July 6, Durant is eligible to sign a two-year extension worth up to $122 million.

  The Suns finished 36-46 and missed the NBA playoffs in the 2024-25 seasons. Head coach Mike Budenholzer was fired after just one season.

  --Field Level Media

The Houston Rockets agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract extension with center Steven Adams, per multiple reports. The deal is fully guaranteed.

• The veteran big man spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder, starting 466 games. During that span, he averaged 9.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

  After one season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Adams became a mainstay for the Memphis Grizzlies, helping their young core led by Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. finish second in the Western Conference in back-to-back seasons.

  Last season, Adams regularly came off the bench for the first time since his rookie season, but remained a solid contributor for the Rockets, averaging 3.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in only 13.7 minutes per game.

  Houston had a breakout season this year, landing in second place in the West with a 52-30 record.

  The Rockets were 5.0 points per 100 possessions better with Adams on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass. That placed him in the 79th percentile in the NBA.

  The contract extension locks up a long-term quality backup for all-star center Alperen Sengun.

  --Field Level Media

The New York Knicks plan to interview two head coaches who were fired during the 2024-25 season as they continue to seek a replacement for dismissed coach Tom Thibodeau, ESPN reported Saturday.

• Set to chat with the Knicks are former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins, who coached the Memphis Grizzlies, per the report.

  The Knicks have been turned aside in their efforts to talk with current NBA head coaches, with their teams not granting permission. The list includes Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks), Chris Finch (Minnesota Timberwolves), Ime Udoka (Houston Rockets) and Quin Snyder (Atlanta Hawks).

  The Knicks fired Thibodeau last week after the team lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals -- the first time they'd advanced to that round in 25 years.

  Brown, 55, was fired 31 games into his third season in Sacramento, where he posted a 107-88 overall record. He previously was the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers (2005-10, 2013-14) and Los Angeles Lakers (2011-12) and has a career record of 454-304 in the regular season.

  His teams are 50-40 in the postseason, and Brown took the LeBron James-led Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in the 2006-07 season. Cleveland was swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

  He's been named NBA Coach of the Year twice, first with Cleveland following the 2008-09 season and then with Sacramento in 2022-23, when he led the Kings to their first postseason in 16 seasons.

  The Grizzlies fired Jenkins, 40, in March with nine games left in the regular season and a 44-29 record. At the time he was ousted. the Grizzlies were tied for fourth place in the standings in the Western Conference. They ended the season 3-6 and fell to the play-in round, capturing the No. 8 seed.

  They were swept by the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the play-in round.

  Jenkins had a 250-214 record in nearly six full seasons with the Grizzlies. They qualified for the playoffs three times and were 9-14, winning just one series.

  --Field Level Media

The Indiana Pacers enter Game 4 of the NBA Finals with a 2-1 series lead, an edge they have enjoyed in each of their four playoff series this postseason.

• "That's the challenge before us right now, is to maintain," Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. "It's got to be a killer edge to beat these guys. We're going to be an underdog in every game in this series. ... It's a daunting challenge.

  "Anything less than a total grit mindset, we just don't have a chance."

  Meanwhile, Oklahoma City finds itself down 2-1 for the second time, so the Thunder aren't panicking entering Game 4 on the road Friday night.

  "Being down 2-1 in a series, it can have emotions associated with it, but dragging those into the next experience isn't going to help anybody," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Thursday.

  "Them being up 2-1, dragging that in isn't going to help them, either. You have to compete when the ball goes up in the air. We've made a habit of that. We have to double down again on that tomorrow."

  ODDS & TRENDS

  The Thunder are consensus 6.0-point favorites, and have been the favorite heading into every game of the NBA Finals so far.

  The Pacers have been backed by 72 percent of the spread-line money at BetRivers, while the Thunder have drawn 87 percent of the moneyline action as +188 underdogs. The action has been similar at BetMGM, with Oklahoma City backed by 55 percent of the spread-line money while Indiana has been supported by 79 percent of the moneyline handle at +190.

  BetRivers noted that each of the past seven NBA Finals Game 4s have gone under the total points line. So, it's interesting to note that 84 percent of the money wagered on Friday's total points line of 226.5 has backed the over.

  The home team has also won the first half in each of Indiana's past 11 games.

  KEY STATS

  --The Pacers have outscored the Thunder 67-43 in the fourth quarter in their two wins in the series.

  --The Thunder lost back-to-back games just twice during the regular season and have yet to drop consecutive games in the playoffs.

  PROP PICKS

  --Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 24.5 Points (-590 at BetRivers): This has garnered the most money among Game 4 props at the book with 1.6 percent of the action. SGA broke a playoff string of four consecutive games with at least 34 by contributing "only" 24 on Wednesday. That is outside the norm, as he has topped 24 points in 15 of 19 postseason games. Despite the short odds required to get SGA at over 24.5 points, there is a very high likelihood he cruises past that mark with OKC in desperate need of a victory.

  --Luguentz Dort under 13.5 points/rebounds/assists (-105 at BetMGM): The Oklahoma City guard interestingly has drawn the most total prop bets at the book. He had 12 points and four rebounds in Game 4, although Dort did not record an assist. For the series, he is averaging 10.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game for a combined average of 14.0.

  KEY TO THE GAME

  For the Thunder, getting back to their defensive identity is at the forefront after the Pacers shot 51.8 percent (44 of 85) from the field in Game 3.

  "We've kind of strayed away from it a little bit," forward Jalen Williams said. "I think when you're scoring at a good rate, sometimes it can drop off a little bit. That's something that we've looked at.

  "There will be some game-plan adjustments, for sure," he continued. "A lot of that is just competing. I don't want to say ‘competing' because that sounds like you're out there not trying. Defensively locking in on a lot of the little things, not let them get comfortable and make those bigger runs late in the game."

  INJURY REPORT

  Indiana's Myles Turner continues to battle an illness, though he had a critical block and rebound late in Wednesday's win.

  Carlisle said Turner was with the team during their film session Thursday before heading home to recuperate.

  "Hopefully, he'll feel better tomorrow," Carlisle said. "We'll see."

  THEY SAID IT

  --"We have to be who we are and who we've been all season. I think we got back to that in that series. If we want to give ourselves a chance in this series, it has to be the same thing." -- Gilgeous-Alexander, referencing Oklahoma City's Game 4 win against Denver while trailing 2-1 in that series.

  --"I think the biggest thing with right now is this is like a really exciting time. To play against these guys is an honor. It's a lot of fun. This is a 68-win team, historically one of the best defenses ever. This is a really good team. They have the MVP. They have a bunch of dudes who are going to be in this league for a long time having a lot of success. ... As competitors, you want to compete against the best and these guys are the best." -- Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton.

  PREDICTION

  The Thunder have won eight consecutive road games following a loss, and we expect them to run that streak to nine on Friday night. They're still the series favorite for a reason, and Game 4 presents a critical opportunity to earn home-court advantage back. However, they'll have to cope better with Indiana's raucous home environment than they did in Game 3. -- Pacers 115, Thunder 110

  --Field Level Media

The NBA and WNBA agreed in principle to terms for a multi-year global partnership expansion with the 2K video game, the leagues announced on Friday.

• Also, 2K agreed in principle to terms to extend its relationships with the NBA G League and USA Basketball.

  "NBA 2K has engaged a new generation of basketball fans in an increasingly digital world," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "By expanding our partnership and creating NBA Take-Two Media, we look forward to building on the incredible success of the NBA 2K franchise."

  Strauss Zelnick, chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive, said he was happy to continue the partnership with the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).

  "I would like to thank Adam Silver, (NBPA executive director) Andre Iguodala, and all our partners at the NBA and NBPA for their continued support and shared vision to empower NBA 2K to become the premier interactive entertainment basketball franchise," Zelnick said. "We are excited to unveil NBA Take-Two Media and look forward to seeing how it will create an entirely new and multi-faceted NBA experience for our communities."

  That also applies to the WNBA, which saw its stars first appear in NBA 2K20.

  "2K is where millions of young fans deepen their interest and fall further in love with the game of basketball. That's why this partnership is so important," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. "As the WNBA continues to reach new milestones on the court and across fandom, our presence in NBA 2K ensures that our league and athletes are visible, celebrated, and inspiring the next generation of WNBA fans around the world."

  Terri Carmichael Jackson, the executive director of WNBPA, labeled Friday's news as a defining moment for women's basketball.

  "Our players continue to raise the bar, and this renewed partnership with 2K ensures their impact is felt not just on the court, but across culture, gaming and the global growth of the sport," she said. "This expansion will elevate the entire league and the women who power it. It's also a recognition of the players' business value and their role in driving the future of the game."

  Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson and the legendary Vince Carter adorned the covers of the NBA 2K25 series of video games.

  Tatum was on the cover of the standard edition, Wilson represented the game's WNBA version and Carter served as the face of the Hall of Fame edition.

  --Field Level Media

The viewership numbers made a modest comeback in Game 3 on Wednesday night as the Indiana Pacers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 to take a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

• The game in Indianapolis averaged 9.19 million viewers on ABC, a 5 percent increase from Game 2, according to a report from Front Office Sports on Friday.

  That's still a 20 percent drop from the 11.43 million who watched Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.

  It was the least-watched Finals Game 3 since the 2020 COVID "bubble" year when 6.08 million tuned in for the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers -- a contest that occurred on an NFL Sunday in October.

  The Pacers' Game 3 win peaked with 11.54 million viewers during the 11 p.m. ET quarter-hour. That surpassed the final minutes of Game 1 (11.1 million) as the highest point of the series so far.

  The three-game average for the best-of-seven series is up to 8.95 million viewers, a 23 percent decline from 2024.

  Game 4 is Friday night in Indianapolis and Game 5 is Monday in Oklahoma City.

  --Field Level Media

Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook plans to decline his $3.47 million player option for next season, ESPN reported on Friday.

• The decision would make the 36-year-old veteran a free agent on June 30. The nine-time All-Star is coming off surgery last month to repair two breaks to his right hand.

  Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 75 games (36 starts) in his first season with the Nuggets in 2024-25.

  The two-time NBA scoring champion and 2016-17 league MVP boasts career averages of 21.2 points, 8.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds in 1,237 games (1,075 starts) with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Nuggets.

  Westbrook is the all-time leader in triple-doubles (203) and ranks eighth in NBA history in assists (9,925) and 23rd in points (26,205) but is still seeking his first championship.

  --Field Level Media

Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith had surgery on his left ankle and is expected to be ready for fall training camp for next season, ESPN reported on Thursday.

• Finney-Smith, 32, has played through the lingering injury for several years, according to the report, and the surgery will make him pain-free. He missed eight games last season due to left ankle issues, per Lakers' injury reports, after sitting out 12 games with the Brooklyn Nets for a sprained left ankle and a left calf contusion which he had said was related to the ankle issue.

  Finney-Smith averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 43 regular-season games (20 starts) with the Lakers, who acquired him from Brooklyn on Dec. 29, 2024. Los Angeles was 29-14 in games he played, including 14-6 as a starter, and qualified as the Western Conference's No. 3 seed in the playoffs.

  He averaged 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 20 games (all starts) with the Nets last season.

  For his career, Finney-Smith has averaged 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 28.0 minutes in 591 games (444 starts) for the Dallas Mavericks (2016-23), Nets (2023-24) and Lakers.

  Finney-Smith has a June 29 deadline to opt out of the final year of his contract, with a value of $15.4 million for next season. He has been eligible since mid-February to negotiate an extension before the beginning of free agency on June 30.

  --Field Level Media

INDIANAPOLIS -- Physical and fast was the Pacers' defensive approach in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and more of the same is coming until Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proves he and the Thunder can handle it.

• "You got to suck it up. There's a maximum four games left in the season," Gilgeous-Alexander said Thursday of the hands-on defense from Indiana in Game 3. "It's what you worked the whole season for. It's what you worked all summer for. To me, the way I see it, you got to suck it up, get it done and try to get a win."

  Game 4 on Friday is vital to Oklahoma City after falling behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven NBA Finals. Indiana appeared to be the better conditioned team on Wednesday night, closing out Game 3 with a finishing kick and riding the adrenaline of a locked-in home crowd. Pacers' coach Rick Carlisle gave additional credit to Andrew Nembhard, Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith for their collective defensive effort and the role it played in limiting Gilgeous-Alexander's contributions.

  "I wouldn't say it surprised me," Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said of the Pacers' stamina in Game 3. "That's kind of been I guess you could say their identity leading up to this series. It's what's showed up in the games up to this point. We have to figure out a way to counteract that and kind of change that and swing it in our favor because it's not a winning formula to not be better than the other team in the fourth quarter."

  Gilgeous-Alexander had only four free throw attempts in the second half of Game 3 and appeared to wear down late in the game. He only took three shots in the final 12 minutes.

  "We were a little out of character in a lot of ways yesterday," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "I think that happens in a playoff series. Four games, five games, six games, seven games is a long time. You're going to get a range of games and experiences in that. We have to get it course corrected pretty quickly if we want to give ourselves a better chance in Game 4."

  --Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media

Former NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins was suspended by a Puerto Rico basketball league and had his contract rescinded after igniting a brawl earlier this week.

• The Baloncesto Superior Nacional League also fined Cousins $4,250, and he could be subject to another fine of $5,570, according to the league.

  The incident occurred Monday when Cousins was playing on the road for the Guaynabo Mets.

  "As an organization, we strongly condemn any form of violence or provocation, whether on or off the field. Safety, respect, and sportsmanship are non-negotiable values for this franchise," the Mets said in a news release.

  The situation began with Cousins exchanging words with a fan before he grabbed his crotch while walking toward the courtside seats. Cousins then grabbed the fan's arm as things quickly escalated.

  Teammates attempted to pull Cousins away and other fans began to hurl insults at Cousins. After being ejected, Cousins was doused by liquids as he left the floor. Security tackled him at one point to hold him back from trying to get into the stands.

  Cousins, 34, was averaging 18.2 points and 9.0 rebounds while playing in the top pro basketball league in Puerto Rico for the second time. He also played in the league in 2023.

  Cousins hasn't played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season. He was a four-time All-Star in 11 seasons but his career was derailed by two major injuries.

  In January 2018, he sustained an Achilles tendon injury with the New Orleans Pelicans. After returning to play 30 games for the Golden State Warriors the next season, he tore the ACL in his left knee in August 2019 as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers and missed the entire season.

  Cousins played for seven NBA teams with the best part of his career being his 6 1/2 seasons with the Sacramento Kings from 2010-17. He finished third in Rookie of the Year balloting in 2011 after being the fifth overall pick out of Kentucky.

  Overall, Cousins averaged 19.6 points and 10.2 rebounds in 654 games (561 starts).

  --Field Level Media

The Phoenix Suns are actively working with Kevin Durant's business partner to weigh trade options, ESPN reported Wednesday.

• The Suns and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman have met "multiple times" in the past week to discuss potential destinations for the future Hall of Famer, per the report.

  Teams that have reportedly expressed interest in the 36-year-old forward include the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, although the report indicated that "several wild-card suitors" have recently entered the conversation.

  Durant is due to earn $54.7 million in 2025-26. If he is traded, the 15-time All-Star becomes eligible to sign a two-year extension worth up to $112 million in July.

  The Suns finished 36-46 this season despite having the highest payroll in NBA history, leading to the firing of head coach Mike Budenholzer and a demotion for general manager James Jones.

  A two-time NBA champion and four-time scoring champion, Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 62 games (all starts) in 2024-25.

  --Field Level Media

Boston Celtics star swingman Jaylen Brown underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Wednesday.

• Per the Celtics, Brown is expected to be ready to participate in training camp without limitation.

  Brown, 28, finished the playoffs with a partially torn meniscus, ESPN reported.

  He averaged 22.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game during the playoffs for the Celtics, who lost star Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles before being eliminated by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

  A four-time All-Star and 2025 NBA Finals MVP, Brown averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and a career-high 4.5 assists in 63 games (all starts) this season.

  Brown has averaged 19.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 603 career games (496 starts) since being selected by the Celtics with the third overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft.

  --Field Level Media